A little about me: I'm a highschool graduate, with my heart set upon a career with the Canadian Forces. I'm extremely physically fit, bright, ambitious and dedicated. I'm a fast learner, with a good level head on my shoulders and a love for a good physical and mental challenge.

I'm currently applying to the ROTP and hoping to attend at RMC next Fall. I've been pre-selected, written and aced the CFAT, and am now waiting to hear back from the recruiting centre about dates for next steps. After boundless hours of research and deliberation, I'm still having trouble deciding upon my chosen career path, with my final deliberation being between pilot (specifically rotary) and infantry officer. I also have a definite interest/ambition of working towards joining CANSOFCOM (CSOR, JTF2, etc.)

Is there anyone out there who might be able to offer me a little guidance, and shed some additional light on the key distinctions between these two career paths, their inherent lifestyles, pros/cons of each, etc. and help me better make the decision between the two?

Much thanks.

P.S. The other post here on army.ca with the same topic headline of "Pilot vs. Infantry Officer" doesn't quite have the same answers/information that I'm looking for

Is there anyone out there who might be able to offer me a little guidance, and shed some additional light on the key distinctions between these two career paths, their inherent lifestyles, pros/cons of each, etc. and help me better make the decision between the two?

One flies a bunch, and sometimes carries the other in the back of his machine.

One walks and runs a bunch, and sometimes rides in the back of the other's machine.

But seriously, please take the time and explore this Site and read the pertinent older threads herein - there's a ton of valuable information available to you already.

There is no need to re-state what has been written before; it only wastes others' valuable time, adds clutter which makes it more challenging for people to search through, and deprives you of the opportunity to learn as you go.

Apply for both. Undergo the selection processes - you may or may not qualify for both. Should you pass Aircrew Selection and proceed onto flying training, you will experience, among other things, a phenomenal amount of homework. You may as well start to get used to that early.

Along the way, you will stumble across answers to questions that have not even occurred to you yet.

A little about me: I'm a highschool graduate, with my heart set upon a career with the Canadian Forces. I'm extremely physically fit, bright, ambitious and dedicated. I'm a fast learner, with a good level head on my shoulders and a love for a good physical and mental challenge.

I'm currently applying to the ROTP and hoping to attend at RMC next Fall. I've been pre-selected, written and aced the CFAT, and am now waiting to hear back from the recruiting centre about dates for next steps. After boundless hours of research and deliberation, I'm still having trouble deciding upon my chosen career path, with my final deliberation being between pilot (specifically rotary) and infantry officer. I also have a definite interest/ambition of working towards joining CANSOFCOM (CSOR, JTF2, etc.)

Is there anyone out there who might be able to offer me a little guidance, and shed some additional light on the key distinctions between these two career paths, their inherent lifestyles, pros/cons of each, etc. and help me better make the decision between the two?

Much thanks.

P.S. The other post here on army.ca with the same topic headline of "Pilot vs. Infantry Officer" doesn't quite have the same answers/information that I'm looking for

You could always just do what lots of others have in the past: try for pilot then, when you fail out, go Infantry and make a real difference (cringing now, waiting for incoming )

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"The most important qualification of a soldier is fortitude under fatigue and privation. Courage is only second; hardship, poverty and want are the best school for a soldier." Napoleon

One flies a bunch, and sometimes carries the other in the back of his machine.

One walks and runs a bunch, and sometimes rides in the back of the other's machine.

But seriously, please take the time and explore this Site and read the pertinent older threads herein - there's a ton of valuable information available to you already.

There is no need to re-state what has been written before; it only wastes others' valuable time, adds clutter which makes it more challenging for people to search through, and deprives you of the opportunity to learn as you go.

Apply for both. Undergo the selection processes - you may or may not qualify for both. Should you pass Aircrew Selection and proceed onto flying training, you will experience, among other things, a phenomenal amount of homework. You may as well start to get used to that early.

Along the way, you will stumble across answers to questions that have not even occurred to you yet.

I'd go with this.

Put Pilot down as #1, Inf O as #2. You'll have to go to the Aircrew Selection during the application process (aptitude and the most in-depth assessment medical you'll ever get), and the pass rate is about 30%, so if you don't make the cut you can go Infantry Officer where after university you'll do your Infantry Officer courses and also face a low pass rate (believe it or not, Infantry Officer is not an easy job and the training is quite demanding both mentally and physically)

Put Pilot down as #1, Inf O as #2. You'll have to go to the Aircrew Selection during the application process (aptitude and the most in-depth assessment medical you'll ever get), and the pass rate is about 30%, so if you don't make the cut you can go Infantry Officer where after university you'll do your Infantry Officer courses and also face a low pass rate (believe it or not, Infantry Officer is not an easy job and the training is quite demanding both mentally and physically)

For clarity, the pass rate for DP 1.1 (Commonly known as Phase 3, or Dismounted Platoon Commander Course) usually hovers around a 50% failure rate, though I've been told it has gotten a little better since I attended. It remains a very demanding course. Failure rates for the other courses required to become qualified are not as high, but none of the courses are "easy".

Best guess (and I don't have the hard numbers for it) - I'd say about 1:3 to 1:4 make it through all aspects of training to become fully qualified (from Enrollment to qualified that is).

As far as your interest in CANSOFCOM, it entirely depends on what kind of role you want to do with that Organization (IE, Pilot? Assaulter? other?). CANSOFCOM encompasses a number of organizations and each of them have their own requirements for manning. I'd focus more on completing the initial training process and getting qualified for the CAF however.

Good luck!

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Leadership is understanding people and involving them to help you do a job. That takes all of the good characteristics, like integrity, dedication of purpose, selflessness, knowledge, skill, implacability, as well as determination not to accept failure. ~Admiral Arleigh A. Burke

"It takes 10 minutes to dress like an Infantryman, but it takes a few years to become a good one" - Jungle (Army.ca)

Best guess (and I don't have the hard numbers for it) - I'd say about 1:3 to 1:4 make it through all aspects of training to become fully qualified (from Enrollment to qualified that is).

I've heard 1 out of 13 which I thought was pretty realistic. This brings up a good sidebar though... do our HR people track this stuff? I'd love to see the numbers. You'd think they would have to have a pretty good idea.... or maybe they don't and that's why we always seem to be massively under or massively over PMLs.

Please note that contrary to popular belief this does not mean that Pilot is your #1 pick and InfO is your #2 pick (i.e. you want to be processed for Pilot BEFORE InfO).

If the CAF needs InfO and you have put InfO down, you will be processed for InfO. There are cases where the occupations that people list as #2 or #3 are what they receive offers for. If you want to be processed for Pilot and REALLY only want pilot, leave Pilot as your only selection. If you then fail the selection process, there is a reorientation process that occurs and that is when you would state that you're interested in InfO.

Please note that contrary to popular belief this does not mean that Pilot is your #1 pick and InfO is your #2 pick (i.e. you want to be processed for Pilot BEFORE InfO).

If the CAF needs InfO and you have put InfO down, you will be processed for InfO. There are cases where the occupations that people list as #2 or #3 are what they receive offers for. If you want to be processed for Pilot and REALLY only want pilot, leave Pilot as your only selection. If you then fail the selection process, there is a reorientation process that occurs and that is when you would state that you're interested in InfO.

Based on my experience going through this process, and having worked in recuriting, this is bad advice.

Typically you apply under different entry plans. The occupations within the plan generally all report the same time, so if you are accepted for your #1 choice, it will be given to you first in most cases. Either way, offers are usually open for 21 days, so it's unlikely that you'll be in a position where you have to accept the #2 choice with the #1 not having already ruled you out.

Secondly, if you go through the pilot recruitng i means you have to go through the Air Crew Medical (toronto) and Air Crew Selection courses (trenton) prior to offers being issued. I can guarentee you, if you make it through selection course and the medical, and the pilot selection board chooses you, there's no chance that someone in recuiting goes "no, we're going to make him Infantry Officer".

Finally if you didn't get selected for Pilot but didn't put Inf Officer as a preference, don't expect to be given another trade. Expect that no to your only choice means try again next year.

Just a follow up, the timing it takes for someone to make it through Air Crew Medical/Selection, an offer for Infantry Officer could already be made.

While the system is set up as "choice #1", "choice #2", "choice #3"; the realistic way to look at it is "choice #1", "choice #1", "choice #1". I've seen plenty of times where people have picked either Pilot, Military Police, or Military Police Officer - all of which require extra testing - as their #1 pick; and another occupation as their #2 pick be given their #2 pick as an offer.

Finally if you didn't get selected for Pilot but didn't put Inf Officer as a preference, don't expect to be given another trade. Expect that no to your only choice means try again next year.

Please do not give this advise out. As someone currently working in the Recruiting system I can tell you that the current process when someone does not qualify for their selected occupation is reorientation and the choice to select a new occupation. In no way do we force people to wait until the new Fiscal Year to select a new occupation.

I'm confused on something, how is it possible to apply for Pilot as #1 choice and Infantry Officer as #2? When applying online, Pilot is only given to those choosing RCAF and infantry to those who chose Army. Is this something you let the recruiter know before sending application? Please correct me if I am wrong, thanks

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LightFighter

I'm confused on something, how is it possible to apply for Pilot as #1 choice and Infantry Officer as #2? When applying online, Pilot is only given to those choosing RCAF and infantry to those who chose Army. Is this something you let the recruiter know before sending application? Please correct me if I am wrong, thanks

Because everything is integrated in the Canadian Armed Forces. You can have a mix of Army, Navy and Air Force trades as your choices. However, your trade choices have to be all Officer or all NCM. You can't mix NCM and Officer trade choices on he application.

As well, you could see Army Supply Techs in Air Force units and Navy Cooks in Army field units.